Co-operation partners:

• Steel companies:
  ThyssenKruppSteel Europe, ArcelorMittal (Poland, Spain), Salzgitter AG, Sidenor, BARNA (Celsa Group)

• Education and training providers:
  Steel Institute VDEh, IMZ, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, TKSE Training Centre, AM Spain, World Steel University

• Steel associations and social partners:
  EUROFER, ESTEP, industriALL Europe, World Steel Association, UNESID, Polish Steel Platform, German Steel Federation, European Cold Rolled Steel Association CIELFFA, Association of Finish Steel and Metal Producers, OS KOVO, Federacciai (Federazione Imprese Siderurgiche Italiane)

• Research institutions:
  TU Dortmund University, Cardiff University, University of Deusto, CSM/RINA, Visionary Analytics

• Associated partners:
  IndustriALL (European Industry Union), Industriarbetsgivarna (Swedish Industry Federation), ESTEP European Steel Technology Platform, Polish Steel Platform, Celsa Group (representing steel companies from France, Norway, Wales, Poland and Spain), Enrico Gibellieri (European Steel expert), Community (UK union), EIT Raw Materials

Project goals:

ESSA is setting-up an industry driven, sustainable and coordinated blueprint for a European Steel Skills Agenda at EU level and a rollout plan to the steel related Member States. Main objectives are

• Proactive skills adjustments
• New training and curricula requirements (including new ways of short term implementation within both companies and education and training institutions)
• Political support measures by mobilising and integrating stakeholders and policy makers of the EU and national level
  Successful sectoral upskilling schemes and efficient management of knowledge
• More attractiveness of the Steel Industry and careers for talented people (recruitment and retention)
• Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to monitor success and adjustment needs continuously.

Project description (long):

Economic, digital and technological developments, as well as increasing energy efficiency and environmental demands, present the European (and global) Steel Industry with many challenges, not least of which is to continuously update the qualification, knowledge and skill profile of the workforce. The aim of this project is to realise an industry driven, sustainable and coordinated blueprint for a European Steel Skills Agenda (ESSA) and address the aforementioned challenges in immediate and enduring ways. It will deliver a Blueprint strategy for human capital development through a Sector Skills Alliance (SSA) within a social innovation process involving a broad range of key stakeholders: companies, education and training providers, research institutions, social partners (European and national steel associations and trade unions) as well as sector experts. Building on the solid foundations provided by previous and ongoing sector level initiatives (e.g. ESTEP) and research (e.g. GT-VET) this project will deliver a consolidated approach for addressing industry skills demands and challenges, focused particularly on the people and skills necessary for a globally competitive industry. The project will develop concrete and practical strategies and programmes (modules and tools) in anticipation of skills demands.

Two principal objectives will be supported by an underpinning strategy framework:

1. Proactive identification of skill needs and demands for building appropriate training and curricula, including strategizing for the implementation of new vocational education content and pedagogies (incorporating training development) across the sector (thus enabling mutual recognition of skills and training across the sector and promoting mobility), within both companies and education and training institutions;
   
   
2. Identification, development and promotion of successful sectoral recruitment and upskilling schemes (including the exchange of existing tools and good practice) and the development of first (framework) training tools for i) the efficient management of knowledge towards talent development and mobility, and ii) tackling recruitment difficulties (e.g. industry attractiveness) for widening the talent pool and establishing a more diverse workforce;
   
   These two principle objectives are supported by:
   
   
3. Establishing a database of industry occupations, job roles and skill requirements for facilitating i) recruitment; ii) job-seeking; iii) skills and training provision at the local, member-state and EU sector level, and; iv) skill needs analysis;
   
   
4. Securing political support measures through the Skills Alliance for mobilising and integrating (sector) stakeholders and policy makers at the EU and member-state level;
   
   
5. Developing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), within the remit of an established Skills Alliance, for monitoring success continuously in respect of objectives 1) and 2), as well as the proactive adjustment of ESSA for addressing emerging challenges.

Methodological approach:

The project is set up as a social innovation process integrating all the relevant stakeholders in a co-creation process and considering societal (social, economic, environmental) impact right from the beginning. Against this backdrop, the development of the ESSA Blueprint is engaged with the following activities:

• combine a European, cross-border sectoral approach with national/regional specifications by including national and regional authorities
• comprise the cooperation of companies and research / educational / training institutes
• involve the social partnership (European, and for the selected pilot member states)
• set-up a foresight scheme to identify recent future demands and requirements in a pro-active way, driven and run by the steel industry
• develop concrete tools and activities together with the people concerned (such as HR managers, technicians and engineers, workers, trainers and teachers)
• foster an interrelated and joint development of Industry 4.0 and Work 4.0
• last but not least: ensure a cross-sectoral development and exchange of industry representatives, companies, policy, science and education.

This is done within eight work packages:
 

• WP1: Management
• WP2: Technological and Economic Development and Foresight (digital transformation, Industry 4.0)
• WP3: (Company) Skills Requirements and Foresight (Skills, Knowledge, Competences; Work 4.0)
• WP4: VET Requirements and Regulations / National VET Systems (relevant requirements and regulations for the blueprint)
• WP5: European Blueprint Development (incl. training and train the trainer modules, interrelation to existing EU tools like EQF, ECVET, etc.)
• WP6: Transfer, Implementation and Monitoring - Cooperation and Dissemination (EU and Member State Level) (steel associations, VET system institutions, national roll-out preparation, collaboration with other blueprint developing sectors)
• WP7: Policy Recommendations (incl. collaboration with EU and Member State Stakeholders, national funding institutions)
• WP8: Quality Assurance